GOP chairman open to some regulation of internet devices

GOP chairman open to some regulation of internet devices

A Republican chairman says he’s open to a “certain level of regulation” on internet-connected devices to prevent a repeat of a recent major cyberattack.

But Rep. Greg Walden (Ore.) also said new cybersecurity rules might not be enough.

“While I’m not taking certain level of regulation off the table, the question is whether we need a more holistic approach,” said Walden at a Wednesday joint hearing of the Energy and Commerce subcommittees on communications and technology, and commerce, manufacturing, and trade. Walden heads communications and technology.

“The United States cannot regulate the world. Standards applied to American-designed, American-manufactured or American-sold devices won’t necessarily capture the millions of devices purchased by the billions of people around the world.”